Emmet Stagg
Question:88 Mr. Stagg asked the Minister for Finance the progress made to date with regard to the implementation of the final report of the public service benchmarking body; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14664/03]
Written Answers. - Benchmarking Process.
Agreement between the public service employers and public service unions on the implementation of the benchmarking body's report has been reached in the context of the new national agreement Sustaining Progress. It is agreed that one quarter of the benchmarking increases will become payable with effect from 1 December 2001, 50% of the increases will be payable from 1 January 2004 and 25% will be payable from 1 June 2005. It is expected that the first quarter will be paid in the next four to six weeks.
The agreement also sets out the conditions applying to the payment of the increases, other than the first quarter, as recommended by the benchmarking body. Briefly, the payment of the increases is dependent on industrial relations stability, co-operation with change and flexibility and on achievement of a number of specific commitments in each sector. The adherence to these conditions and their timely achievement will be verified by a process set out in section 26 of the agreement. This should ensure that the payment of the increases will only be made on the basis of real and verified changes as recommended by the benchmarking body.